By Ken Paulson, First Amendment Center
The Supreme Court just put a price tag on some formerly free speech.

In a 6-2 vote on Jan. 18, the Court upheld a 1994 law that extended copyright protection to foreign films, books, paintings and other art that had previously been in the public domain and available free to U.S. residents.

By Gerald Largen
We were more than a little surprised last Friday to find ourself occupying a front page, above-the-fold location in that day’s Roane County News lead article about the “Crowded field” in the Property Assessor’s race.

When I was a junior in high school, my family moved from the community I had grown up in to a new place an hour and a half away.

Being the new kid in a new school was difficult, but things got worse when a story appeared in the local newspaper.

Our newly constructed house was on a country lane just outside of town. It had a septic tank, which a neighbor contended had been incorrectly installed. I assume she watched the work being done from her house, although there were indications she just didn’t want the lot beside her developed.

As you well know, gentle reader, the principal reason set forth by the defenders of giving the extremely wealthy a “free ride”, insofar as the rate of taxation imposed on their income, is the assertion that these are the “job creators.”

Now, this is a defence that they may or may not believe.

After all, some folks can make themselves believe just about anything, no matter how preposterous.

I’m back on track with my dog-walking this week, thanks to our recent spring-like interlude.
It has felt good to be in the sunshine.
January seems to be flying by more quickly than usual, in part because of the more temperate winter weather.
I figure winter will whomp its hammer down on us at some point; like cats, the extreme seasons toy with us before they really mess us up.
For now, I’m really enjoying not freezing half to death.

Gentle reader, despite much of the news docket being concerned with the national election scene revolving around the the Republican contest for a presidential nominee, shall we start out with the local political scene?

The first item of interest is the announcement of Democratic Party Chairman, Bob Cowan, that there will be a grand opening for the Roane County Democratic Party Headquarters in the Parker Building on Court Street in Kingston, on Saturday, tomorrow, the 14th.